Day of Revolution
by This is not a FanFiction
Summary: Burns Living Flowers had just arrived on Earth to begin his sixth life, only to be captured by a rouge group of humans mere months after. Little do both parties know, Burns will become the most valued member, imperative to their survival. This is Burn's story.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I HAD to re-write this because the original was simply atrocious and I'm shamed I even posted it up (thankfully, it is deleted forever now). This version I find more believable, as well as enjoyable. I hope you lovely readers do too. If there are any of you out there….. Well if you are, this is my ****_first_**** fan-fiction ****_ever_**** (sort of…), so please be kind! And please review! Anyway, enough with my rambling, onto the story!**

* * *

"He will wake soon, Seeker, the body was damaged greatly, but I don't believe there is anything to fear."

"Truly? It took you far more than a day to get the body to be even partially functional. Why you chose to save the body after such damage is not like you."

"This body is strong. The human's phrase 'youthful strength' clearly portrayed in him. Our Soul will not be displeased with it, I assure you."

"As you say Healer Falling Waters." said the Seeker in a hesitant tone.

The human had the courage to jump off the roof of one of the humans taller buildings; nearly twenty-five stories high. After such a fall, the human's body was nothing more than a small pile of mush, but even then he had a beating heart, and a working mind. Such damage to a perfectly healthy specimen was an atrocious waste, but something they dealt with before. Humans were impulsive, frightened beings, and at times, courageous to a fault. Their emotions drove them to do such illogical things: war, destruction of their planet, killing other's for amusement, the creation of items that would only cause harm to themselves and others. It was maddening. If anything, they, the Souls, guaranteed the continuation of their barbaric race, so long as they remained in control.

And that was hardly difficult.

* * *

Strange.

That simple word in itself summed up everything Burns Living Flowers felt as his mind stirred him back to consciousness. The body he inhabited felt… wrong. Yet, completely right at the same time. The vibrant red hair that covered his crown, the dull blue eyes, the - what humans considered to be - chiseled chin, and fair skin that was reflected in the mirror he held was alien to him, yet all to familiar.

Strange. Definitely, strange.

Even so, Burns knew the familiar disorientation, as it was not his first time being transferred into a different host species. In fact, it was his sixth time. Six lives on six different planets. Yet, the this was a feeling no Soul could ever get used to. Blinking his eye's furiously to clear it's mudded vision, Burns found himself in a familiar, and oddly calming, place. The Healer's. Such place had always been of interest to Burns, and he could only imagine what new products they could have created to accommodate the human body. From what he knew, it was the most complex, and difficult anatomy they had ever come across of. Though any problems they came across during the 'testing' duration were easily answered with the help of their original hosts, the Spiders. There was nothing they could not answer. So as to what they made specifically for the human body, was obviously of major interest to him.

"Ah, you are awake. Glad to see it, Burns Living Flowers." Healer Wind said with a gentle smile plastered across her face.

"As am I, Healer." Burns said testing out his new body. The memories of his human host provided him with both mental and physical memory of how the body worked. It would be a problem if he didn't obtain his host's memories of such simple motor functions; to wake up not knowing how to breathe would definitely be a problem. As natural as it felt, it felt off as well. Much different from his time as a Flower, which was rather dull in some aspects, and far far different from his time on Fire World; which was his birth planet.

With a small smile, the Healer walked up to his side, checking his body up and down to see if everything was alright. "You seem perfectly fine." she said satisfied with her results.

"I feel perfectly fine, Healer." Burns said as a matter-of-factly.

"No Pain." she said informatively, "We gave you a small dose just in case, your body had been damaged significantly, and I'm afraid you will live with those faint scars." she said almost saddened by the fact. As though she had failed in some way.

"That is fine, Healer." he said, "From his memories, it appears some females on this planet found scars to be attractive? How peculiar." he said voicing the thoughts that rambled through his mind and the memories.

"Yes, humans did have odd tastes, though you cannot deny they had excellent taste buds, I recommend the restaurant Gingo's which is just down the road as your first meal. The Thai food there is simply sublime." Laughing to herself a bit, the Healer walked over to grab a small plastic cup filled to the brim with water. "Here," she said handing it to him, "You must be thirsty."

Had he not taken a small gulp of the water, Burns wouldn't have noticed how thirsty he really was, nor the hunger that suddenly seemed to attack him out of nowhere. Finishing the water rather rapidly, the Healer chuckled to herself, grabbing the empty cup from his hands and refilling it before returning it to him. This time, the water disappeared from the cup slower than it's predecessor.

"Am I free to leave, Healer?" he asked, unearthing the memories of how the Human tried, hopelessly, to escape the Seekers that were hot on his trail.

_Have to run… have to get away! He thought to himself, running as quick as his legs could manage, the wind stinging his face as he pushed against it._

_"Stop! Please, we won't hurt you!" A Seeker screamed out as he chased him followed by at least a dozen others._

_HA! Won't hurt me!? LIES! They'll do worse then kill me! They'll erase! Not going to happen. I'd rather die than be turned into one of those monsters!_

_The stairs of the building he ran through were his only option as he met a dead end. His legs were more than exhausted, they felt like nothing more than watery jello. But, he continued to run. His climb of the building quickened as he skipped a few steps each time he moved. The pain was unbearable. The burning taking hold of him as he continued. All that kept him whole was the adrenaline pumping through his veins._

_No…. NO! Dead end… No…. I. Will. Not. Become. One. Of. Them!_

_He met face to face with the edge of the building, the vacant street below seemed so far away now. _

_"Please, please stop! Don't move, please! We mean you no harm." the Seeker said, his voice sickly soaked in concern. But not over his life. No. Over his potential Host body._

_Turning to them, his burning vibrant blue eyes met with that of the silver-lined seekers. _

_"Please, we can help you."_

_"No. I won't let you take me you MONSTERS!"_

_Before any of the Seekers could react, he had stepped back a step, into the empty air and his body fell over._

_You won't take me._

That was all he remembered, after that was nothing but a bright flash of white, then red turning into a dim blackness.

He felt the humans relief when he remembered falling off the building. He truly thought he was free from the Seekers.

How wrong he was.

"Oh yes, you can leave whenever you feel like. It's mid-afternoon at the moment, I suggest you go and get yourself something to eat Burns Living Flowers." The healer said, bringing him back to his reality.

"Thank you Healer, I will be sure to go and try Thai food. This body seems accustomed to the tastes."

With a smile, the Healer walked with him at his side to the entrance of the hospital building, waving a Soul-friendly wave goodbye as Burns began to walk away.

* * *

It had been months since he came to Earth, and to say he was surprised with the Human world, was an understatement. Not in any of his other five lives had he ever seen such ingenuity. The humans creative potential seemed limitless, and they continued to impress him with their small inventions. The iPod being one of his favorites. Much to his delight, he had unearthed a rather large one in a small shop where the owner failed to erase the songs that were stored in it. The humans taste for music was… odd. But the memories that surfaced whenever he listened to one made him find some enjoyment in it. Not that he would ever show anyone the music. They would have him erase it as it was too violent for him.

But, he didn't find it violent. If anything, he found it soothing.

Then again, he was never really a normal soul.

Even in his other lives, he had never truly been apart of the Soul Society. He never was able to…. 'click' with any of it. Peace was nice, yes, but as much as it screamed against his nature, Burns always wanted something more. And from what he's seen, the humans gave him just that.

Their emotions were far stronger than any race he had been immersed in. It seemed to control every action, every thought, going against all logic. At times, it was maddening. At others, it was a welcome release.

Still, he had adapted to the body far sooner than he had in any other life. Which was surprising, to say the least. If that screamed anything, it would be that he finally found a _home_, and he would no longer be pulled to another planet. To bad that humans had the shortest lifespan (other than the Spiders) than any other species they had come across. The average age span of a Human was a mere (at least in the United States) 80 short years.

Such short lives, indeed.

But that made it all the more worth to _live_ while he was, in human terms, young.

The body had a natural knack for building objects out of scrap. And useful ones too. From hammers, to drills, everything came...naturally. It also became apparent that the body had practically a lust for adventure. To dive into the unknown and come back victorious in discovering something, or simply being able to say they survived.

Strange.

But exhilarating all the same.

At times, he found himself wandering the mountain peaks, or swimming deep out to sea. Such risks of course, weren't much of risks as there was _always_ someone with him, at times, a Seeker because the places he went were so remote, humans could possibly be hiding anywhere.

So far, no humans had crossed his path.

A part of him, his host part, was overly relieved at that fact. The memories, the hate at the mere word 'Seeker' was enough to make him feel pity for the humans. Though he wasn't about to give up his human host. Not when he finally found a home. That and the human he possessed was mentally brain dead. If he was removed from the body, it would remain in a vegetative state. If anything, he was saving this humans life by maintaining full bodily control of it.

One fair morning, in the midst of a desert town, Burns felt an overwhelming desire to explore the vast dunes. Rather eagerly, he made his way to the the shop which sold all necessary survival objects for his very reasons. Knife, water, tent, food, matches, blankets, compass, map, and of course, a hat, all stuffed strategically into a heavy duty pack. All the shop employee said was that his Calling was rather dangerous, and should be _very_ careful while out there.

He always was.

But in this case, there was no Seeker or any other that would accompany him. This time, he was going solo.

* * *

The first day out in the desert was exhilarating. The sights were truly something to behold, at least to him. To any other they would probably see nothing more than a fairly barren wasteland, while he saw a world of brilliance. Nature on Earth was like nothing he had ever seen. They had everything. From blistering heat to frigid icecaps, and everything in between. It was magnificent.

He spent a few more days, reserving his water and food the best he could, just in case anything happened. The world was indeed an unexpected one.

As he walked down the desert path, Burns could have sworn he saw something reflect the suns ray as metal would. But, why would there be anything metal so far away from civilization? There were an extremely small amount of souls who found what he did to be even slightly interesting, less that were willing to living so remotely. Souls _needed_ to socialize. It was in their nature.

Before he could really see if the glimmer off in the distance was anything, something massive collided into his side, sending him tumbling down and scrape the water starved earth beneath him. There wasn't anything he recalled that was mildly large enough to cause such an impact. There were coyotes, but if that animal had attacked him, he would be feeling more than simple skin-scrapped pain. More the pain that accompanies being torn limb from limb.

"I've got it Nate!" a rough male voice screamed causing Burns to wince as it was practically screamed into his exposed ear.

_Humans... _he thought as he tried to twist his face to get a clearer view on the man that held him to the ground forcefully.

"Gag him and let's go! We don't have time!" Said another male voice, obviously this 'Nate' person the man spoke to.

Before Burns could do or say anything, his mouth and nose was covered with a small cloth, soaked in a sickening smell that sent his eyes closing against his will.

Before his world was plunged into darkness, Burns could only imagine what these humans had in store for him... as it was clearly _not_ a quick death.

* * *

**A/N: Soooooo, what'cha think? :D Please review! I need all the guidance/help I can get!**

**Also! It's my plan to update this on a weekly basis, so every Thursday or Friday there will be a new chapter! Maybe sooner if I have a sudden bout of inspiration. It's also my intention to end this 'part'/'book' at the time Burns and Nate's company meet Jeb and that group. Hopefully I can get a few of you to stick to this till then!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: A personal thank you to Cypress16 for giving me the confidence boost I needed! I hope this new chapter doesn't disappoint any of you. Though I'm personally disappointed with Burn's and Nate's confrontation, so I would appreciate any help on that matter and I'll edit it accordingly. Also, sorry for any mistakes, I look over the chapters alone so I don't catch all them all, minor or major. I also realized that I didn't put a disclaimer in the first chapter, so this is the first and only time I'll say that I do not own The Host, nor any of the characters I use, it belongs to it's respected owner, Stephenie Meyer. And with that, onto the story!**

* * *

**Chapter 2:**

_"Hey Jon, don't you think going out alone is even the slightest bit dangerous? Your only 17 for crying out loud! At least bring someone with you." said a small pale brown haired teenage boy._

_The young adventurous teen the boy spoke to looked back at his friend with mischievous eyes. Of course it was dangerous and risky! That was the point of it all! To go out into the unknown and come back victorious! To dissever the undiscovered or just return alive! There was no greater thrill than that. It was his firm belief that you're only alive when your hanging on a thin thread with death looming below. Besides, his adventuring was the way humans were supposed to live. Humans were the only species of animal that invented objects to make their lives easier. So many unnecessary things. Why couldn't they all just live off the Earth as nature had intended?_

_"Oh, com'on Jack! You know that's why I do it! I'd rather be out there with only my wits and handy-dandy tools to keep me alive than stuck behind closed doors." The youth, Jon, said smiling as he filled a worn black pack with all he thought would be necessary to have in the great outdoors. _

_"So your just going to go out into the deep woods and see how long you can survive? Where's the logic in that?"_

_Rolling his eyes, Jon replied casually, "There doesn't need to be logic, Jack. Just nature and survival the way it was meant to be. I want to _live_ rather than having everything handed to me._

_"I don't understand how someone so different than me could be my best friend."_

_"You and me both, buddy." Jon said chuckling a bit. "But, we're living proof that opposites attract." he added with a smile._

_"True enough." Jack said unable to smile in response to his. "Just be careful out there, man. I don't want to see the news one day talking about a missing kid in the woods." However jokingly it sounded, there was a serious undertone. _

_"Always am." Jon said already heading out of his house, Jack close behind._

_Turning to his friend, Jack furrowed his brows ever so slightly. "Hey, have you noticed how weird your neighbors have been?" he asked before looking around, catching the eyes of one of the elderly women that lived in the apartment complex.  
_

_Looking back Jack, Jon followed his eyes and caught the same pair he had. "Yeah... I have." he said nodding slightly, "They're all kind of... off." he concluded, unsure of the word to describe the way his neighbors had been acting.  
_

_It had been nothing outstanding, simple looks and greetings that for some reason sent both the adolescents on edge. Call them paranoid, but something felt wrong.  
_

_"Could be nothing." Jack said brushing the thoughts that plagued his mind aside for the moment, "Whatever it is could just come from old age. I don't know how you ended up living in an old people community." he added trying to lighten the mood.  
_

_Laughing, Jon unlocked his car and threw his pack in the back seat, "Could be." he said once his laughter subsided, "Well, I'm off bud."  
_

_"See you on the other_ _side, _Jonathan."

_"Ughhhh!" he groaned, "It's Jon you twat! Jonathan is so... ugh. See you in a while Jack." _

* * *

_The woods were calm and beautiful. The dry smell of the earth filling the air about him. 'This is how nature is supposed to thrive everywhere.' he thought to himself as he began making camp. There weren't many dangerous creatures out in the woods, a few boars, but no wolves, mountain lions, or coyote's. It was a rather uneventful adventure. If it could even be called that._

_The survival-test lasted a little less than two weeks, and just as he had predicted, he had came out no worse for wear than when he began. 'I should try more difficult places.' he thought to himself on the way back to civilization. By the time he returned home, however, he couldn't shake off this ominous feeling that crept up inside him. He couldn't tell what it was, but something felt…off. Brushing it off as well as he could, he opened the door to his small apartment that would be empty as both his parents were out of town for an undisclosed amount of time. So he was more than surprised to see his friend, Jack, sitting quietly on the couch staring into the eyes of nothing._

_"Uhhh, Jack? You okay?" Jon asked, not taking off his pack._

_The moment Jack turned to face him, Jon felt a shiver run down his spine._

_Something was wrong._

_He stared silently as Jack stood up and began making his way toward him, an off looking smile plastered on his face.  
_

_"Good to see your back, Jon." he said, his voice sounding completely wrong to Jon's ears._

_"Are… are you alright, Jack?" Jon asked full of concern, "You seem…off."_

_Before Jack could answer, Jon heard footsteps coming from behind him from the outside. It was three in the morning. None of his neighbors would be awake… they were all old, retired, and went to sleep before eight at night. Looking cautiously at Jack one last time, he noticed something strange in his eyes; a thin silver lining.  
_

_"I'm perfect, Jon." he answered casually, his eyes flickered to the open door behind Jon._

_If there was one thing screaming at him that moment, it was his instinct to run, and never look back. _

_Taking a tentative step away from Jack and the creepy lining in his eyes, Jack took one forward, arms up in a surrender type pose. _

_"Hey, Jon calm down for a minute-" Jack began._

_Something was _definitely_ wrong._

_The footsteps behind him grew quieter and softer; the type of steps a hunter takes while moving in on it's prey._

_Without any warning, Jon bolted out the door, and not a moment too soon. On the sides of the door were a number of men and women, all of them had the same silver lining Jack had._

_Eyes widened at the sight, he screamed._

* * *

Burn's woke with the same deafening scream escaping his lips as it had in his dream. No…not his dream. _His_ memory. That must have been the beginning of the invasion, when they were finally rounding up the other half of the humans and insert them with Souls. Had it not been for Jon's heightened survival instincts, this body would have been turned long ago. At that though, Burn's felt an overwhelming sense of pity for the human he inhabited. He knew that the trauma of a betrayal was one that couldn't be taken lightly… but this was something different altogether. His friend, his best friend, was completely erased. He could feel that the human was racked with grief when he realized just what was happening, and cursed himself for not being able to shield his friend from it. The regret of not being able to convince Jack to come out to the woods with him attacked him all throughout his time in hiding.

It was truly pitiful.

Once his body calmed down, Burn's looked to his surroundings. It was dimly lit, and the source of light was a small lantern, probably fueled my oil, that hung on the rocky walls. His body was constricted, and knew that both his hands and feet were tied with what he assumed was rope. So tightly that he could feel the familiar tingle that accompanied the body when a part of it 'fell asleep.' He also noticed that not only was he tied up, but also behind steel bars. His memory accompanied the sight with the term, 'Prison.' But why would Human's keep a Soul prisoner? His memories flashed to those 'movies', the host body had enjoyed watching. Horror films, as he recalled.

He shuddered at the thought, eyes wide with fear.

If humans were capable of doing those horrific things in movies to their own kind… what's to say they wouldn't do all that and worse on someone who _wasn't_ human?

Turning himself, Burns was able to reach the back wall and maneuver himself properly to be able to sit upward, his back leaning against the stony walls. His mouth was parched, and stomach growling uncontrollably. He hadn't eaten since the morning he was taken, and in the dark setting he was in, there was no telling how long he had been asleep. For all he knew, it could have been days. Bringing his constricted legs up closer to his chest, Burns let his head rest on his knees, waiting for the inevitable to come.

It wasn't fair.

He had just found his home, and now it was going to be taken from him.

_'Life is unfair.' _ he thought to himself, thinking back to how many times his host body had heard that statement.

His ears perked up to the familiar sound of footsteps heading toward him, the sound echoed as it bounced off the rock made walls. 'A human.' His body shook a bit before he gained control of his fear. The emotion was unusual to the body, as it seemed Jon once held no fear while looking in the eyes of death. If anything, he felt exhilarated by it. Taking hold of the familiar strength the body had toward death, Burns lifted his head slightly to see who it was that had taken him.

There were several people who walked through the make-shift door of the Prison room, two men who seemed about as old as he was, and a middle-aged looking woman. One of the men, the leader by the looks of it, had sun browned and craggy toned skin, his hair a dark curly mess around his ears, and simply looked intimidating. He could also feel the tension that surrounded him. He was not only angry, but also fearful… if that made any sense. The other man, was shorter than the leader by a few inches, his face darkened with grime and dirt, though showed a fair undertone, his hair an 'dirty' blonde, though it was possible that underneath the dirt, it was actually platinum. Even in the dark, Burn's could see that the middle-aged woman that walked in a bit behind the first two, were red and puffy; a sign of one having cried not too long ago. Her mud brown hair was pulled back in a messy bun, strands falling on her sun tanned skin, and had a motherly aura emanating from her.

Burn's stared at them through the bars, their bodies all tensed once they made eye contact with him.

The leader stepped forward first, his hands grasping the cold metal bars as though he was making sure it was secure. Not that it was necessary seeing how his legs and wrists were tied together better than a pretzel.

"What's your name?" he asked, his voice harsh and full of malice. Enough so that Burn's choked over trying to find his own. It took several moments to realize that Burn's wasn't willing to talk.

"What. Is. Your. Name?" The man repeated, only this time his voice was so cold and harsh, he felt a shiver run down his spine.

Burn's looked at him, his eyes betraying some of the fear he tried desperately to keep hidden. Why should he fear that which was already absolute? Human's would never keep him, an _alien_, alive. There was no point.

"Bu- Burns Living Flowers." he replied, finding the strength the human host provided. There was no point in angering the humans by delaying questions. Might save him some pain when they finally decided to kill him.

"Burns Living Flowers?" the woman repeated in a small voice, her eyes shifting away angrily for betraying any kind of interest.

"This is a bad idea Nate." the other man said, his voice equally enraged as the Leader's had been. "It could be a Seeker for all we know! It had weapons in it's pack!" Weapons? He had carried no such things, merely survival tools like his Swiss army knife…. Oh, that's what they probably thought as a weapon.

"We don't have a choice!" the woman spoke this time, her voice full of angst and urgency. So it seemed Burn's was worth something… though he hadn't a clue as to what it could possibly be.

"So what? We let it go out there? It'll send the Seeker's straight to us! Kill it!"

"NO! We. Need. It!"

"So you can be taken!? Just lik-"

"ENOUGH!" Nate's cold hard voice stopped the argument all together, and the two behind him stifled into an annoyed silence.

"We can't do this Nate. It's way to risky." the man said once again, only this time his voice calmer, and with reason.

"But, he's our only chance!" The woman interjected, "Without it...my baby-…"

"Enough." Nate said once again, though his voice was softer. "Evan, Rachael, leave."

Both of them began to open their mouths in protest, but one stern look from Nate sent them out of the room faster than they had entered.

"Wh…What do you want with me…?" Burn's asked, his voice shaky, but firm.

Nate looked at him, his eyes bewildered that the parasite had actually spoken on his own accord. From his experience, all the other Souls they had come across, before eliminating them, never made it a point to hide their fear. This one, however, seemed to have some…backbone.

_'It could definitely be a Seeker_.' Nate thought to himself, his eyes narrowing on instinct as the thought processed through his body.  
For the moment, Nate refused to answer, and continued on with his questions.

"Are you a Seeker?"

A small shudder overcame Burn's body. The sheer mention of the word 'Seeker' sent his body on edge. Huh. Rather than death, this body feared _them_… feared him.

"No." he answered truthfully. He had never had the… heart, to become a Seeker. Whether it was out of pity for the planet's dominant race, or simply because it wasn't his Calling, he didn't know.

The human looked at him with disbelieving eyes, and crossed his arms across his chest to seem more intimidating than before.

"Why are you out here if your not a Seeker?" he asked trying to pressure him into admitting an untruth.

"I… this body…craves for adventure…" he began to explain, "It… pulled me to the dessert… I didn't know you humans were here…"

Nate looked at him, his eyes betraying some interest in the parasites answer. He thought Souls were nothing but peace loving, societal monsters. To find one that willingly strayed from society wasn't something he thought possible. At least one that _wasn't_ a Seeker.

Noticing the human, Nate, was contemplating over what he said, Burn's took the chance to speak up, knowing no matter what he did, it would eventually lead to his demise.

"What do you want with me?" he asked again, only this time more confident.

The human, broken from his thoughts looked back to the bug, his own eyes narrowing at the sight of it's silver lined ones.

"We… we need… we need your help." Nate finally said, lowering his head ashamed to ask this…monster, for help.

To say Burn's was surprised, was more than an understatement. From all the memories he had been able to access during his Host's hiding years, he concluded that humans despised Souls with ever fiber of their being. They were invaders, taking everything from them… there was no room for compassion after what they had done. So why would this human ask for his assistance?

"With what?" Burn's quarried. What could he possibly help with?

"We need your help getting someone back." he answered, still not looking at Burn's.

"Get someone back..?" He pondered over what he could possibly mean until it dawned upon him. Someone, probably that woman's child she spoke of earlier, was taken by his kind. Sympathy ran through his body for the humans asking him for such a thing. Once a human was taken, as his host body had, the interval between being taken and the insertion process was incredibly short. A day or two at the most as there was always a Soul waiting to become a part of the Human world. Surly he must know this? Even his host body understood that once being taken, there was little to no chance of remaining human.

Taking pity on the human before him, Burn's answered honestly in a soft low voice, trying to be as comforting as he could possibly be, "I am sorry…" he began, "There is little I can do for you… Once a human is brought to the Healers, the insertion process begins not long after. I fear this companion of yours is already lost…"

As soon as his words came out, Burn's realized something far more important. If the human had been taken by a Soul, the Soul would have access to all of it's memories, including the location of this base. They had little to no time to leave before the Seekers would swarm in…

Before Nate could usher a reply to his explanation, Burn's continued, his voice full of urgency and concern, "You must leave this place at once!" he exclaimed, causing Nate to finally look up at him, his expression full of confusion, "If this companion of yours has been taken, his memories would have been accessed by the Soul inside him. The Soul will have told the Seeker's of your whereabouts, and they'll come in full force to bring you and whoever else is here back with them!"

As Nate processed his words, he was more than taken aback, he was out right shocked to the point that he felt paralyzed in his position. It took him a few long moments to finally move again, his eyes giving way to the many thoughts and worries that plagued him. Looking back to Burn's, he realized something else.

"Why did you tell me that?" he asked, his voice full of shock, "Why did you warn me? Your one of them… you could have stayed quiet until they showed up and been freed… why… why did you warn me?"

Burn's looked back at the human, his eyes soft and full of sympathy. "Every Soul bears the memories of it's host." he explained, "This human… his memories were powerful… his emotions became my own… and I… feel pity for you humans… I do not wish to see any more taken than those who already have."

Nate stared back at the parasite with wide eyes. Souls, those peace-loving, body stealing monsters could actually feel pity for the Humans they controlled? The very idea was maddeningly unrealistic, and to hear it… to hear it from one of them that it was possible, had shattered his perspective of them entirely.

"…Tha- Thank you." Nate said, bewildered by his own words, he turned and screamed for everyone to move and pack up everything they could as they needed to leave as soon as possible. He could hear voices, screams, accusations that it was all a rouse and Burn's was leading them straight into the arms of the Seekers, but nonetheless, rushing steps on the floor that indicated they were packing up.

Nate might have agreed to let him stay until the Seekers found him, but the others protested - some sounding rather violent - that they couldn't have such a liability stay behind for the Seekers to take. It was mere minutes afterwards that a gruff man came and untied his leg restraints, cursing and threatening him that should he do anything he thought was a threat, he wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet in his head.

Needless to say, Burn's remained quiet and tried to remain as still as possible as they led him out of the holding room.

The journey ahead of them was _not_ going to be easy.

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**A/N: Next chapter will be their escape from the desert base! Will they run into seekers? Will the desert take more from the group? What will the rest of the group do to Burn's? I would really appreciate reading what you think, even if it's something as simple as saying 'good job,' or 'need's a little/ a lot of work.' (: Also, I'm thinking that my updates will come faster than I had anticipated, and will probably post new chapters every few days. Thanks for reading and I hope you'll stick around for the rest! And sorry! This is definitely not, in my opinion, a good chapter… I promise the rest will be better!**

**Edit: Taking Cypress16's advice, I've added a few lines in Burn's memory so that the invasion process doesn't seem so... rushed. Hopefully it makes it more believable! ^^ Thanks again!  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry for the slight wait! I can't believe how busy I've been this past week! I knew college wouldn't be a walk in the park, but I never thought that I would struggle with managing my time so badly! . I think I've worked out a decent schedule that will let me update this about twice a week. Also, I had major writer's block for this chapter… so I apologize if it's lacking in more than one aspect, but it's a chapter nonetheless! Enjoy to the best of your ability!**

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**Chapter 3:**

Burns Living Flowers tried desperately not to make any sudden movement's after having his legs freed from the ropes that constricted them; no need getting a bullet shot through his brain now. As his tied wrists were held roughly by a callused pair of hands that urged him forward, Burns took the chance to take a look around him. It seemed they were in some sort of cave, the only source of lighting being a few lanterns that had yet to be grabbed and taken away by the humans that busily rushed to get everything they could carry away; off to what he assumed was the mouth of the caverns. The layout seemed a bit complex; numbers of corridors that, from lack of lighting, seemed to go on forever. From the hurried bodies that passed him without so much of a second glance, he felt as though there were scores of humans living here, when in truth there were only about thirty.

"Get that thing's face covered! It can't see where we're going!" Screamed a woman, who could easily be mistaken for a man with the masculine undertone her voice took. It also gave way to the fact that they were actually going _somewhere_, rather than running away aimlessly. Where this second secret human resistance base was located, he couldn't possibly begin to guess.

Before he could see anything else of the base the humans had lived in, Burns' eyes were clouded by a thick black rag of some sort, jolting his head back a bit as the human behind him securely tied it.

As the man continued him to urge him forward, Burns found himself tripping himself every now and again due to his lack of sight, hearing an annoyed grunt coming from the human holding him whenever he had. For a moment, his mind wandered to wonder how those born without sight could possibly manage as well as they did, but his focus was soon returned to the humans around him as clattering and voices overwhelmed his senses.

His blackened sight was quickly overwhelmed with a flash of red, indicating light, before it returned to a stable ashen pink. It seemed he wasn't unconscious for very long... or at least a day.

"Get in here! We need to leave!" said a voice Burns identified as Nate.

"You don't know if it's telling the truth!" another argued, this voice feminine and unknown.

"We don't have the luxury to _not_ believe it!" screamed another unknown man, one who sounded rather similar to the one that tackled him down.

"Everyone! We need to leave, NOW!" Nate said again, his voice full of urgency and sickened with fear.

They had every reason to fear. To Humans, Souls were body-stealing parasites, and though Burns would love to refute such accusations, the facts were hard to dismiss. Should the Seeker's find them now, and the humans retaliate - as he knew they undoubtedly would - there would be blood shed on both sides until the Seeker's gained control. They were more powerful, level-headed, and armed than any of the humans here combined. There was no doubt that should the Seekers find them all now, they would be erased just as 'Jon' had. And though he enjoyed his human life thus far, it pained him to think that these humans before him, so full of life and emotion, could disappear.

"Move damnit!" the man pushing him forward said urgently. He felt himself being pushed into what he assumed was a vehicle. The clamoring and familiar sound of a rattling engine were undeniably that of a motor. Being pushed down into a seat, he could feel that the humans that surrounded him did their best not to touch him, the monster.

"Go, Go, GO!" Nate's voice screamed out once again, and everyone felt the vehicle push forward at an alarming speed. For the moment, he was thankful they were in a desert; had they been in a populated city, the Seekers would be on their trail quicker than anyone would initially think. Souls obeyed all laws, including traffic ones, so if they were on the road going this speed, they would be pulled over immediately, and turned in.

A frightening thought to any human.

The ride was filled with a deafening silence, the tension in the air practically suffocating him with their fear as the car jolted up and down due to the unpaved desert roads. Burns hadn't a clue as to what direction they were going, but knew that whatever direction it was, they would eventually have to ditch the cars, or hope that the desert winds would rid them of their tire tracks. He hoped for the latter, as leaving the cars behind would hinder them in their survival.

Still staying quiet, Burns felt the road beneath them turn smoother, and couldn't help but voice his concerns.

"I- I don't know where we are, but if we're on a paved road, drive the speed limit." he said, his voice giving way to the constant fear of having a bullet plunged through his brain.

Though he could not see, Burn's could feel the eyes of the humans surrounding him stare intensely at him. As much as they wanted to disregard his advice as lies of a Seeker, there was so much honesty soaked in his voice, they couldn't help but grudgingly believe him. The only reason the raid parties had complied to the rules of the road was simply because they didn't want to stand out, not because they knew that they would be pulled over if they didn't, but thinking about it more thoroughly, they had never even seen a Soul jaywalk as so many humans would.

Burns could feel the car slow in it's speed, and felt relief overtake him. They actually believed him this time, without any objections.

"Everyone, don't make a sound." Nate said cautiously, before pulling the vehicle into a stop. Burn's could hear the shifting of bodies, but also one inching closer to him.

Though startled, he didn't dare make a sound, not even when the cloth that covered his eyes was stripped so suddenly. His head jolted to the side, his eyes shut tightly and wincing from the sudden change in lighting. He could hear silent protests as he begun to blink profusely, trying to clear his vision quickly. Soon enough, he could see clearly, the sun glaring into his eyes as it reflected off the black painted hood of the vehicle he was in. From the inside, it seemed to be a truck of some kind, and a sudden blast of memories flooding him, told him that the truck they were in was a semi-truck. Made sense, considering the amount of things and people they had to carry with them.

"What are you _doing_?" the man sitting to his right asked in a hushed voice. The front of the semi-truck seated a total of five, two in the front, and three in the back with Burns sitting soundly in the middle. All those around him, with the exception of Nate, looked at Burns with visible fear.

"We're going to need his help getting out of here." he said as a matter-of-factly, Burns slightly shocked that instead of calling him 'it,' recognizing him nothing more than an object, more than a parasite... Nate had called him, 'his,' meaning he recognized him as a person.

That in itself was… unexpected, to say the least.

"We don't need _it's_ help!" the woman to his left protested. Her hazel nut eyes were filled with anger and fear, and it seemed her ruby hair flared with her inner fire.

"We do, Amy." Nate said once again, looking at her with a glare that shut her up quick. Turning his attention back to Burns, his eyes visibly pleading, "I am asking you, please drive us to safety. We don't want to be taken. We don't want to be erased from existence… please."

Burns looked at him with a gobsmacked expression. He never, in all of his lives, ever expected that he would ever come to be in this sort of situation. Should he help the humans, he would be, in a way, betraying his own kind… denying more of his people to experience something he could hardly describe. But, he couldn't... wouldn't, stand by and do nothing while this human was actually asking him of such a thing. Had it been any other Soul, they would undoubtedly take his offer, but turn them in instead, knowing full well that the 'dangerous' humans would be taken in to the hands of the Seekers and soon become one of them.

Looking at Nate, Burns found his voice, and confidently said in a low voice, "I won't let them take you.." Those around him, including Nate, looked at him disbelievingly. How was it possible that a bug that had taken over their world, and essentially eradicated human kind from existence, be willing to help them? Wasn't it against their nature? Weren't they supposed to side with their own kind? Why on Earth, would this Soul be willing to go against it's own kind and help them, humans, survive? From everything he's done thus far, their previous conceptions of his kind were slowly being shattered.

Noticing the looks of disbelief, Burns spoke again, "I- I can drive.. wherever you need me to go… I'll be sure that we won't be stopped."

"We… We can't trust it, Nate!" the same woman, Amy, spoke again, her voice less sure as it was before.

"I don't know, Nate…" the man he recognized at Evan who was sitting in the passenger seat. "We don't know if it's a Seeker."

"He's definitely not a Seeker." Nate said with such certainty, it made others jaws drop slightly. How was he so sure? "If he was a Seeker, the moment we left, we would have been surrounded by them," he explained, "And have you heard him even try to lie? Everything he's said so far has been practically sugar coated with honesty."

Despite them trying to refute his claims, even they had to admit his words thus far had been so confident and natural, they couldn't really think them as lies, however much they wanted to try. That didn't, however, stop them from distrusting the parasite.

"Okay," he said, his voice giving way to some uncertainty he felt, "change seats with me." Opening the driver's seat door and exiting he allowing Burns to crawl through the opening in the middle of the front seats and put himself in the drivers seat. Before he could even try to put his seat belt on, the end of a handgun pressed against the right side of his temple.

"Try anything funny, and I'll shoot." said the man, Evan. Nodding slowly as the human put his gun back onto his lap, and a good enough distance away from his head, Burns put his seat belt on, checked his mirrors, and went through all the procedures the driver's handbook advised before putting the car back into drive. As he looked to see if there was any oncoming traffic on the empty road, he could feel every eye burn at the back of his head. They wouldn't trust him. They _couldn't_ trust him. But they trusted Nate enough to not protest as loudly… or were willing to kill him as well as Burns should he turn on them as they all were expecting.

Driving at an acceptable fifty-five miles per hour on the highway, a decent five miles under the speed limit, Burns was quite sure they wouldn't run into any trouble… So long as the humans remained quiet and didn't give any passerby Souls weird looks. Perhaps it came with the strong emotions a Human had, but many Souls became paranoid when it came to humans, the Seeker's deeming them dangerous and should not be confronted by any civilian Soul as they could easily be killed. A term they feared greatly as violence was not in their nature, even he who was not entirely completely soul-like feared violence Humans were capable of.

While he drove, the tension in the air was suffocation; so much pressure pushed down on him as everyone, including the rest who were quietly sitting in the back cargo, were literally depending on him to get them to safety.

"Your going to need to go off road in a bit." Nate said, his face visibly pale.

When sirens were heard, everyone, including Burns, felt sweat drop down their brows, and their blood run cold.

Pulling over as an Soul would, Burns quickly turned to the humans, "Don't look at him or her directly in the eye," he began, "Which direction are we going right now, Nate?" he asked, urgency in his voice.

"We're heading toward New Mexico." he said immediately.

"Okay… we-"

"Good afternoon." A gruff male voice said to Burns left.

"Good afternoon." Burns said, turning to the police officer, who all the humans present, sounded clearly nervous. "Is there something I can help you with?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes, but first," he began casually with a small smile, "what is your name?" he asked

"Burns Living Flowers." Burns replied a bit more calmly.

"Fire World?" he asked excitedly, sending a mental picture of a puppy jumping up and down in excitement into Burns' mind as he did, "A pleasure to meet you! I'm Flames Crooked Leaves." extending an arm out to him in a human handshake. "I'm surprised to meet another, Fire World is quite far."

"It is." Burns said while shaking the mans hand, equally surprised to find a fellow Fire-Taster. "What was it you wanted to tell me?" he asked, his nervousness returning, and hoping that the man wouldn't ask for the names of the others in the car.

"Ah, right! I just want to tell you to be careful on the road, they say Humans were hiding out in the desert."

All the humans in the car, flinched or shuddered, but thankfully the police officer took is as fear _of _ the humans, rather than realizing they _were_ the humans he was speaking of.

"In the desert? How could they possibly survive there?" Burns asked, trying to make his voice sound as fearful as possible. To the humans, it sounded far too fake.

"Yes, Burns Living Flowers," Flames Crooked Leaves said, shaking his head in his own fear, "I don't know how either, but the Seekers said they found a base, but no humans. So please be careful on the road. If you like, I can drive with you as far as the border, which is not that far of a ways."

Burns didn't need to look at the humans to know what answer to give.

"No, that's alright, we've just have about another fifty-sixty miles to go." he said, holding a weak smile.

"If you say so, Burns Living Flowers," before they were in the clear, fate had a cruel way of messing with the desperate, "Oh, where are the rest of you from?" Flames asked, smiling innocently.

Before any of them could react poorly, Burns replied for them, albeit too quickly and defensively for the humans taste, "This is Faces Sunward, Sings To The Western Shore, Petals Falling Down, and Mist In The Wind."

"A pleasure to meet you all!" the police officer said, believing Burns as it was in their nature to believe each other. "Have a nice day, and be careful."

As soon as the police officer was out of sight and hearing range, everyone let out a breath none of them realized they had kept in. A part of Burns felt wrong, the pit of his stomach twisting in an unnatural way. Bringing his hand over his abdomen, Burns clutched his stomach as though he were in pain.

Lying.

He hated it.

Trying to push the thoughts aside, Burns put the truck back into drive and began their way again, barely noticing the directions Nate was giving him, but complying to them nonetheless.

Why did he feel this way? He wanted to help the humans… he didn't want to see them turn to Souls, but at the same time, he didn't want to betray his own kind. By helping the humans, he was doing just that.

I don't like this. He thought as he found that they arrived to the second base. All the while, he didn't take notice to the shocked faces of the other humans when they saw he was the one who was driving and not Nate, nor the face of sheer disbelief from the rest. Nate was the only one to notice that he was frozen in though, and tried to snap him out of it.

"Hey… Hey. Hey!"

"Wh- what?" Burns said finally turning his head to the somewhat concerned look Nate had on his face. For all he knew, when non-Seekers lied, they broke.

"You can get out now." he said, still a bit confused over just what happened to the Soul.

"Ri- Right…" Getting out of the car, Burns kept his gaze down, not wanting to look any of the fearful humans in the eyes. He knew, from Jon's memories, that it was their eyes that sent fear down their very bones

"H- How… How could you trust it!" a voice exclaimed, starting a riot of protests coming from everyone around. From under the small red wavy-curls that covered his eyes, Burns could see that there were roughly thirty or so humans, the youngest looking to be about ten or eleven years of age, the oldest nearing the end of his days; sliver hair covered his crown while wrinkles of all shapes covered his face, making his glare all the more unbearable to look at.

"You should kill it!"

"Kill it!"

"Kill!"

Their voices sent Burns wishing he could hide in a dark corner, far away from their malicious intent. He had just saved them…

And they wanted, no, demanded his blood.

He was going to die.

_Hopefully it won't be a shot to the head_. He thought grimly, before one voice broke the shouts into silence.

"**QUIET**!"

Bringing his head up slightly, he saw Nate, standing between him and the rest of the humans; no-mans land. "We will not kill him!"

"_Him_? That's not a human Nate! It's a bloody parasite!" A woman screamed. She was young looking, but her eyes screamed out in pain. Pain that was undoubtedly cause by his people.

"He just went against his own kind! For our sake!" he screamed.

_He's actually defending me._

"He just saved all of our lives, when he could have easily given us up to the Seekers!"

_He…He's trying to protect me…_

"After that? You want to kill him!?"

"I won't stand for this!" a male spoke out once the initial shock of Nate defending the bug had passed.

"Nor I!"

"Me either!"

"Then too bad!" Nate said, his voice harsher than he had expected it to be, "I'm the one that brought us all together, I'm the one that goes out risking my life for yours, I'm the one that had the shelter and resources we've needed to survive! My house. My rules. We won't kill him. We won't let him out to die in the desert. Anyone who tries to kill him, will not go unpunished!"

_He can't be serious..._

"Now, get inside and set up, we can't stand out here all day. Rob, put the truck in the garage."

As Burns watched the humans disappear into a hidden door, he stood silent and frozen into place, at least until he noticed Nate turn back to him. From under the locks of hair, he finally noticed that he stood above him by a good four inches.

"Wh-Why did you defend me...?" He asked, still shocked over what just happened.

"Because you saved all of our lives back there." Nate said, "If it were any of us, we would have been goners. And you're definitely not a Seeker, I've met one, and you're far from it."

"..Th- Thank you..."

"Don't mention it. I don't completely trust you, but I know you won't do anything to _purposefully _harm me or anyone else in here. You clearly _want_ to live, so I know you won't do anything, and you actually _want_ to help us... so for now, welcome to The Resistance."

_The Resistance...?_

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**A/N: I don't like this chapter T-T Sorry readers… Please stick around for the next chapter! I've just finished reviewing chapter five, and I think… well, I hope you'll stick around for what I've done! Also, I'm thinking about starting another story, one that goes further in depth to Ian's point of view, and should I post it up here, I hope you look to read it! Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Soooo, it's been a ridiculously long time since I last updated this, but after re-reading the story and watching the very sad portrayal of it at the movies, I've gotten the inspiration to start again. I don't know long it will be between updates, but I assure you it _won't_ be longer than three weeks. Any way, here's the next chapter, and if you're one of the few followers who last read this months ago, I _really_ recommend re-reading the last three chapters...I know I had to and I'm the author!

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_"Jon...Joooon...JON...Jonathan!" exclaimed Jack as Jonathan blearily opened his eyes, blinking them madly as he tried to regain clarity in his vision. Once his sight cleared, he saw the face of his best friend Jack not three inches from his own._

_"GAH!" he screamed, pushing his friend away from him whilst jumping away from him. The push sent Jake to the floor of his bedroom, while Jon's head met the wall that his bed was pushed against. Groaning in pain and annoyed by his friends laughter and amused smug face, he said, "What the hell, Jake! Trying to give me a heart attack?!"_

_Jake just continued to laugh, even as he picked himself up from the floor. "Ah, quit whining you big baby. It's summer! We've got two and a half months of freedom! Let's do something, and stop wasting the day away in your bed! I thought __you__ were the adventurous one."_

_Jon rolled his eyes and got off his twin sized bed, ruffling his hair as he pushed his friend aside to get to his dresser. "Then we're going out and actually doing something. __Meaning__ we're spending the day __outside__ and not in some arcade, or video-game store."_

_Jake grumbled a bit, but conceded and left the room as his friend changed. _

_Once he was dressed in crisp clean clothes, Jon walked out into his living room where Jake had already turned on his T.V and began watching one of his cartoons. Taking the control from Jake's pale hands, Jon turned off the T.V and picked his friend up from the collar and dragged him outside. "You woke me up, and now we're going to do something _just_ like you wanted."_

_Pulling himself from the taller teen's grasp, Jake dusted himself off. "Fine, but please for all that is merciful, don't take me to your damned obstacle course of doom?" _

_Jon smirked at his grim looking friend, knowing how much he loathed the times he dragged him to the local gym where they kept a room fitted with a constantly changing obstacle course. Unlike Jon who craved physical exercise and testing his limits, Jake was a complete indoor person that would prefer playing computer or consul games or the like. _

_"Aww, come on! You'll never get the muscles the ladies love without exercise!" Jon said, smirking at his friends paling face._

_"A logical mind is all anyone _should_ need to get a decent girlfriend! I don't want some bimbo who doesn't know the difference between something simple like Star Wars and Star Trek!"_

_Jon laughed at his friend. Despite their differences, they both shared a love for science fiction, though Jake preferred Star Trek over Star Wars. How anyone could think the wonders of the Force was second rate to Star Trek was beyond him. _

_"Dude, those girls are diamonds in the rough. Super rare; especially around here where all they care about are how to better cake their faces with make-up or the newest trends." Jon said smirking as he jumped into his car and started her up, Jake finding his place in the passenger seat. _

_"I know! The only decent girl we know is Anabelle, and she's like...one of the guys!"_

_"Don't tell her that." Jon said with a slightly grim expression. "She'll castrate you..."_

_Shuddering, the two teens took off on the open road, enjoying the summer breeze with the windows rolled down. "You know, I had this dream last night..." Jake started._

_"Oh? Now I'm not so sure I want to hear this..." Jon teased, earning a friendly punch to his arm courtesy of his friend._

_"Shut it." Jake grumbled. "ANYWAY, I had this dream where aliens came down and took over."_

_"Okay? So what? We've watched tons of movies with that premise."_

_"No, they didn't just take over the world, or even kill the lot of us. We were still here, but...not at the same time, you know?" _

_Jon looked at his friend with a raised eyebrow. "You just had to get weirder, didn't you?"_

_"I don't know how we're friends...you can be such a jackass sometimes." Jake grumbled, rubbing his face with his hands._

_Jon, however, just laughed and gave Jake a friendly nudge. "Dude, you wouldn't get rid of me, we've been together since Pre-K! Besides, you love my jackass-ed-ness."_

_"That's not even a word,_ Jonathan."

_"It's Jon!"_

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Burns Living Flowers woke up from the dream...no memory with a small smile on his face. It was clear in the memories he had played through that this body and his friend Jake were extremely close, but what bothered him was that Jake was indescribably close to what had happened to the humans in his dream...

Rubbing his tired eyes, Burns stood up from the small cot that Nate had given him the day earlier. The location they were at now was completely underground, being lit only by small holes drilled into the ceiling that let the sunlight in. He had heard, that they were currently working on using their solar-panels to store enough energy to power lanterns so that they would still be able to work in the night hours, but for now, they were stuck dealing with darkness after the sun set in the desert they were in.

The entire base was rather large in size, connected by a series of hallways carved into the stone walls. The base was naturally formed from the little he had seen, but much of it had been supported with wooden beams just in case as the risk of a cave in was prominent underground. Nate had stationed him in a small room at what he assumed was the far end of the base, which he didn't mind. In all honesty, he had believed they would lock him up in some sort of cage as they had originally done so, but Nate was adamant at letting him have his own place, even if it was the furthest one from the center.

He remained in the small cell like room, blinking at the sunlight that illuminated it. From the looks of it, they weren't that far underground, as the ceiling was no more than twenty feet above him, but he would never truly know, and he was positive he would not see the sun for quite some time, if ever again since he had been captured by these humans. They would not trust him to leave with the knowledge of the base's location...and there was a very big risk of being killed...even if Nate had said he was under his protection.

"Good, you're awake." said a voice coming from the entrance of his small room. Looking to the archway, Burns saw the face of none other than Nate, the _human_ who had defended and most probably saved his life.

"Good morning, Nate." Burns said politely, unsure of what to do.

"I brought you some food. Not much, but we won't have much for a while until I send some of the boys out to a run." he said placing a small plate and cup on a flattened rock that stood at about four feet.

"Th-thank you.." he said taking the small piece of bread on the plate and eating the pieces in small bites.

"I would have brought you to the dining area, but I don't think anyone else would have liked that." he admitted, though Burns could see he was hesitant to do so as well.

"It is fine." Burns said. "This is not my place...and I do not mean to upset an others if I can avoid it." When Nate gave a small nod, he continued, "What will you do with me?"

At the question, Nate gave a small sigh and answered honestly. "We can't send you on your way, as you know, and I'm not about to kill the...person, who saved my, and the rest of our lives." he paused before he continued, "You protected us even when you had the chance to go back to your own kind...why? You said you pity us, because of your...host body...but no one else seems to, so why?"

Burns looked at the human before him, true confusion and curiosity littering his expression and said, "This...body...he is strong, and his emotions have...merged with my own. You humans have the strongest emotions we souls have ever encountered, it rules your every decision and goes against all logic...this body has changed me, I suppose you could say, and I cannot bear to see if are taken."

"You...merged?" Nate asked curiously.

"I don't believe that is completely correct...his emotions have greatly connected with my own. I do not feel what he would have felt, but they influence me greatly."

Nate nodded before he said, "I think I need to give you a tour. Can you do anything? I mean, skill wise, can you?" he asked as he motioned for Burns to follow him.

"The body was adept at survival with the barest of tools. The swiss army-knife you took was one such tool that he used to survive in the wilderness for weeks and nothing else. Through his memories, I understand trap-making, various hunting techniques, and other basic to advanced survival skills."

"So you're a hunter?"

"I am not. I cannot bring myself to hunt a defenseless animal as this body had done. While I am not like most souls, that is still something I cannot bring myself to do."

Nate turned to face Burns completely and asked, "You're not like normal souls?"

Smiling a bit sadly, he replied, "Souls are societal beings, yet I have never considered myself at home among them. It is why I enjoy this body greatly, as it already had an instilled love for...adventure. My preferences would be considered too violent for most souls...they are my family, but I am...estranged from them."

Before Nate could deign to reply, another voice broke in their conversation.

"What is _it _doing out of it's cell?!" he screamed. If his memory served Burns correctly, it was the man known as Evans that spoke.

Nate glared at the man and said, "He is staying with us, he needs to know the base."

Another woman scoffed and spit on the ground, "We should just kill it and be done with it."

"We are _not_ killing the person who saved our lives just yesterday!"

"It's a parasite! It could be lying! Biding it's time for the Seekers to come!"

Rather than Nate defending him, another woman he hadn't seen before answered. "He _lied_ to the Seeker that pulled them over...he could have given us up then, but he didn't."

The woman was younger, and looked to be only about eighteen years of age. Her eyes in the dim lighting were a deep green that contrasted well against her porcelain skin, as did her dark chocolate brown hair that cascaded down to her lower back in light waves. Burns stared at her with something akin to shock. He hadn't expected anyone else to defend him other than Nate.

"_IT, _Danielle, _IT_. That _thing_ is _not_ a man!" screamed an older woman who looked to be about sixty years of age, give or take a few years. Her hair was a mixture of black and white, giving off the appearance of something grey from far away. The similarities between both Danielle and this woman were uncanny, and Burns couldn't help but wonder if they were related in some way.

"Whatever, gran. _He_ saved us, the least we can do is keep him alive. He might even be able to help us get supplies."

"NO! We are not letting that monster out of this base. If we can't kill it," exclaimed a man who glared dagger at Nate, "then it's staying in this base and in it's cell."

Nate had had enough and said, "He will be allowed to walk within the confines of the base. He'll not be allowed to go top-side, but we will not do _anything_ to harm him. Is that clear?!"

Nate's voice had risen dangerously, and the group that was before them angrily agreed, though Burns could see that there were many who did not agree in any way shape or form with what Nate was saying. And he doubted they would keep their word not to harm him.

"I'll...I think you should take me back, Nate... I don't want to do anything to upset them more..."

Nate turned to the soul and grudgingly agreed. Right now, they couldn't do anything to quell the others. "Give it a week or two and they'll simmer down..." Nate said as he led Burns back to his room/cell. When they arrived, Nate was about to turn and leave before he asked, "When you get put in...do they stay inside? Trapped in their mind?" his voice was low, and Burns knew that this man had lost someone, or someones, very close to him when the Souls began to occupy this world.

Shaking his head, he answered, "No. When a soul is injected into a Host body, the body's consciousness is...faded away." he could see Nate's eyes harden, but he hoped to do something to quell the mans emotions and continued, "There are...stories, or rumors I suppose, of Host bodies...fighting the Soul...rumors that their consciousness lives alongside out own, but I cannot be sure if they are true. The Seekers tell us that adult bodies are harder to assimilate to because they have...stronger wills than that of a child..."

Nate merely nodded his head, looking slightly more hopeful before he turned to leave, leaving Burns to stay in his cell and find something to occupy himself with.

The room was small, barely around 7x7 feet all around, but it was more than Burns needed. He wanted to help these humans, but he didn't want to hurt his family by doing so, even if he was never truly a part of the Soul Society...

It was a few hours later that another body came into his cell, and when Burns looked to see who it was, he was met with the face of the young woman that had also defended him earlier. Danielle, he believed was her name.

"Thought I might see if you had anything to do in this little place..." she began awkwardly.

"I am fine." Burns answered from his seated position against one of the rooms corners.

"So..." she began, choosing to lean against the archway, "What was your name again?"

"Burns Living Flowers." he answered calmly.

She looked speculative for a moment before saying, "Mind if I just call you Burns? Calling you by you're full name would be annoying after a while."

"I don't mind..." he said looking at the strange human girl before him. "You are Danielle, correct?"

"Yeah, Danielle Roquette." she introduced, "So, what was your...body's...name?"

Burns looked at her confused before he answered, "His name was Jonathan "Jon" Marlow. He was twenty-two when they inserted me into his body five months ago."

"Oh, okay..." she finished awkwardly, as though she didn't know why she had brought it up in the first place.

With a confused furrow of his brows, Burns asked, "Is there something I can do to help you?"

Danielle merely shook her head and said, "No, no, don't worry about it. Ummm...I'll go find you a magazine or book you can read. Staring at the walls doing nothing is a dull way to spend the day." Without another word, she left the room, leaving Burns on his own once again.

He didn't have to wait long until she brought him a paper-back book and handed it to him. The title was, The Kite-Runner by Khaled Hosseini, he hadn't gotten to thank her before she left the room in a rush, confusing Burns even more. He figured that she was, like the rest, uncomfortable with being so close to a Soul like himself, even though she seemed friendly enough earlier. With a small shake of his head, Burns began to read the book and was immersed with it so much that he didn't hear the sounds of people coming to his room.

By the time he did, he saw the angered faces of four men, all bearing blunt weapons in their hands.

Burns stood up and placed the book down, putting his hands in a placating pose, even though he knew that these men would not spare him.

Even though Nate had said he was not to be harmed, these men were here to kill him.

* * *

A/N: Yikes I feel so bad for not updating this since... October of last year? Yeah, October... I am soooo terribly sorry to those who actually have waited for this to update, but I hope that now it'll be of better quality and more enjoyable to you all than what it would have been had I updated all those months ago...


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